The invention relates to a top for a convertible vehicle, comprising a roof part, said roof part at least partially covering the vehicle in a closed state and being pivotable about a main bearing, a frame element, said frame element being arranged in a rear area of the vehicle, a rear element, said rear element at least partially covering said rear area of the vehicle in a closed state, and a loading lid, said rear element being fixed on said frame element, in such a way as to be pivotable relative to said frame element, by means of a rear bearing arranged at a distance from said main bearing, said frame element being fixed on the vehicle in such a way as to be pivotable relative to the vehicle about an axis arranged in the region of said main bearing.
In the construction of modern convertibles, increasing use is being made of more complex convertible tops, which are constructed, in particular, as multi-part hard-shell folding tops. Since such folding tops are used not only on sports vehicles but also for saloons, there are higher requirements with regard to keeping a sufficient luggage-space volume available, even in the open state of the top, and to sufficient flexibility when loading the luggage-space volume.
DE 197 06 444 C1 describes a hard top for a convertible, which has a front roof part and a rear roof part with a fixed rear window, it being possible for the rear window to be slid under the front roof part by a linear drive before a process in which the top is lowered, and it being possible for the roof parts, which are deposited in an open state of the top, to be moved simultaneously as the luggage-space lid is opened, by means of a rotationally fixed connection to the luggage-space lid. The disadvantages here are, on the one hand, that the movement of the rigid rear window by means of a linear drive can only be achieved technically in a very complex manner, with a separate drive generally being necessary to move the rear window in addition to the drive for the top. Owing to the fact that, depending on the state of the top, the luggage-space lid can be moved either together with the top or relative to the top, a complex mechanism is necessary for the optional coupling of the pivoting axes of the top and the luggage-space lid. Moreover, the openable luggage-space lid must be matched to the size of the deposited top. In the case of relatively large folding tops, in particular three- or multi-part folding tops, this has the effect that a significant proportion of the body in the rear area of the vehicle has to be pivoted together with the deposited top in order to fully free the loading volume, part of which is under the top.
EP 0 857 598 A1 describes an arrangement for covering a luggage space of a convertible, a first element being connected to a second element in such a way that it can be pivoted up counter to the direction of travel, and the second element being connected to the body of the vehicle in such a way that it can be pivoted up in the direction of travel. A convertible top that can be deposited in the luggage space of the vehicle when the first element is pivoted up cannot be connected to one of the elements in this case, with the result that it is not possible to pivot the deposited top up in the direction of travel together with the second element.
It is the object of the invention to provide a top for a convertible vehicle which allows access to a luggage-space area of the vehicle in a versatile way and in a way that is matched to the respective state of opening of the convertible top.
According to the invention, this object is achieved by a top for a convertible vehicle, comprising a roof part, said roof part at least partially covering the vehicle in a closed state and being pivotable about a main bearing; a frame element, said frame element being arranged in a rear area of the vehicle; a rear element, said rear element at least partially covering said rear area of the vehicle in a closed state, and a loading lid; said rear element being fixed on said frame element, in such a way as to be pivotable relative to said frame element, by means of a rear bearing arranged at a distance from said main bearing; said frame element being fixed on the vehicle in such a way as to be pivotable relative to the vehicle about an axis arranged in the region of said main bearing; said roof part being pivotable relative to the vehicle about said axis together with the frame element in an open, deposited position of said roof part; said main bearing being firmly connected to said frame element, and said loading lid being fixed on the rear element in such a way as to be pivotable relative to the rear element.
According to the invention, the loading lid, which is similar in configuration to a conventional luggage-space lid, is fixed pivotably on the rear element, the rear element, for its part, being fixed pivotably on a frame element. In this arrangement, the pivoting of the rear element relative to the frame element takes place during the opening process of the convertible top. The frame element is mounted pivotably on the body of the vehicle, it being possible for the frame element to be pivoted up together with the rear element and the loading lid plus the folded-up convertible top in order to allow optimum access to the remaining luggage-space volume when the convertible top is open. On the other hand, the loading volume remains fully accessible when the top is closed, as in the case of a conventional luggage space in saloons. As an alternative, it is possible to access the loading volume by means of the loading lid when the top is open, even if the free loading diagonal is limited by the deposited top.
The loading lid is preferably fixed on the rear element by means of a four-bar linkage and is supported relative to the rear element by means of a gas spring in order, on the one hand, to allow the luggage-space lid to be fitted in the rear area of the vehicle with a minimum of gaps, and, on the other hand, to ensure particularly convenient actuation of the luggage-space lid by means of the gas spring.
It is particularly advantageous if the rear element is fixed on the frame element by means of a four-bar linkage, thus allowing a sequence of motion of the rear element which allows optimum and joint-free fitting of the rear element into the remainder of the vehicle body in the closed state. During an opening process of the rear element, the sequence of motion made possible by a four-bar linkage, corresponding to the superimposition of a rotary motion and a translatory motion, provides a simple means of avoiding collision with non-moving parts of the vehicle body.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the main bearing is fixed on the frame element in the vicinity of the axis of the frame element, the said axis being fixed relative to the body, with the result that, as the frame element is pivoted up, the roof part, which is deposited in the open state, is pivoted together with the frame element without the need for a complex mechanism for coupling the axes of the top and the frame element.
In a preferred refinement of the invention, the roof part comprises a rigid rear window, which is pivoted with respect to the roof part in the open, deposited position of the roof part, the pivoted rear window thus making available a particularly large useable luggage-space volume. It is advantageously possible here for a further roof segment to be provided, which is likewise pivoted out of the area of the roof part in the open, deposited position, with the result that the roof part now has a U-shaped opening, the two legs of the U corresponding to the C pillars of the vehicle, a free through-loading space being created in the folded-over deposited position of the roof part by virtue of the fact that the U-shaped roof part is deposited with the opening of the U pointing downwards and rearwards.
It is particularly advantageous if a central roof part and a front roof part are provided in addition to the roof part, the roof part, the central roof part and the front roof part being connected to one another by means of a linkage, which forms a positive control means, a three-part hard-shell folding top thereby being formed overall. To control this three-part hard-shell folding top, main links connected pivotally to the main bearing at a distance apart can then be provided, and these, for their part, can be driven by means of a driving device comprising a hydraulic cylinder and a link mechanism. Overall, this provides a convertible top with three shell elements, a pivotable rear window and a roof segment, which, on the one hand, is suitable for covering even the passenger compartments of large saloons and, on the other hand, can be deposited in the rear area of a vehicle in a space-saving manner, there being optimum access to the luggage-space volume both in the open and the closed state of the top.
Further advantages and features of a top for a convertible vehicle according to the invention will become apparent from the exemplary embodiment described below and from the dependent claims.
The invention is explained in greater detail below with reference to a preferred exemplary embodiment of the invention and using the attached drawings.